Can-assorting device



Dec.l 28 1926. 1,612,023

F. HUBER CAN AS SORTING DEVICE 1N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28A 1926. 1,612,023 F. HUBER CAN AS SORTING DEVICE Filed March 2o,192e 2 sheets-sheet e,

I'VEN TOR,

A5@FranjaHubei;

ATTORNEY.

lil

Patented Bec. 28, 1926.

llhilhl) STTES FRANK HUBER, F MIDDLETOWN, INDIANA.

CAN-ASSORTNG DEVI.CE.

Application filed March 20, 1926. ASerial No. 96,211.

This invention relates to a can separating or assorting device, and hasfor its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, amachine of such class for separating or assorting cans of larger fromcans of smaller diameter and for conducting olf the cans of largerdiameter in a runway independent of the runway for conducting olf theseparated or assorted cans of smaller diameter.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a machine for the purpose referred to with meanscontrolled by the cans of larger diameter to prevent them from passinginto the runway employed for conducting off the separated cans ofsmaller diameter.

Further objects` of the invention are to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth,

a can separating or assorting machine which is simple in itsconstruction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughlyetiicient in its use, automatic in its operation, readily assembled andcomparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

VJ ith the foregoing and other obyects in view the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings., wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modificationscan be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereuntoappended.

ln the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several viewsz Figure 1 is a side elevation of acan separating and asserting machine, in accordance with thisinvention..

4Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure El longitudinal section of the machine and further illustratingin dotted lines the cans of smaller diameter separated from can oflarger diameter'.

Figure fl is an elevation of the machine looking toward the front endthereof.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View of the machine and furtherillustrating in full and dotted lines respectively the controlling meansin normal and in active position to A vent the entrance of cans oflarger diam eter into the runway for the cans of smaller diameter.

Figure G is a perspective view of the body portion of the machine.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the sections of the controllingmeans to prevent the entrance of the cans of larger diameter into the.runway for the cans of smaller diameter.

A can separating and assorting mechine, in accordance with thisinvention, includes a body portion, best shown in Figure 6 and whichcomprises a pair of oppositely disposed angle-shaped bars referred togenerally by the reference characters 1,' 2 and disposed'at a downwardinclination in a direction towards the front of the body portion. Eachof said bars consists of a rear portion 3, a forward portion 4 and anintermediate portion 5'. The rear portion 3 consists of a verticallydisposed leg 6 and a horizontally disposed leg 7 which extends inwardlyfrom the bottom of the leg 6. lThe forward portion 4: comprises avertically disposed leg 8 and a horizontally disposed leg 9 which er;-tends inwardly with respect to the bottom of the leg 8. The intermediateportion 5 consists solely of a vertical leg 10 which is of less heightthan the leg 6, or the leg 8 and has its top edge flush with the topedges of the legs 6 and 8. The bottom edge of the leg 1G is spaced asubstantial distance above the horizontal legs 7 and 8 and forms apassage 11 for a purpose to be presently referred to. The rear portion 3of the bars 1 and 2 provide a runway e. which is common to the cans oflarger and smaller diameters. The forward portion l of the bars 1 and 2provides a runway B for the cans of larger diameter. The inner ends ofthe leg 7 are spaced a substantial distance from the inner ends of theleg 9 to form a passage 12 for a purpose to be presently referred to.The inner ends of the legs 7 are connected together by a flattransversely extending come bined coupling and bracing member 13 whichis positioned against the lower faces of said legs 7 and .securedthereto by the hold-fast devices 1li. The rear ends of the legs 7 areconnected together by a fiat transversely extending combined couplingand bracing member 15 which is positioned against the lower faces ofsaid legs and secured therewith by the hold-fast devices 16. The innerends of the legs 6 are formed with spaced openings 16 for a purpose tobe presently referred to. The inner ends of the legs 8 are provided withspaced openings 17 for a purpose to be presently referred to. Secured tothe outer face of each of the legs 8,

at the forward endfthereor, isY downwardly extend through the leg 32 ottheV standard 30 extending henger her i8 f hich hes its torand provideineens tor securing the har 'i t iorivard end edge Ward edge iushWith'thc ot' :1 har l or 9.

Arranged below the intermediate portions of the hers l and ere e pair oiangle hers, Which nre oppositely disposed with respect to each other andare indicatedv generally by the reference eheracters lf) and 20. The harl?) is positioned helen the hair l and lthe bur 2O is positioned belowthe har 2. The har 19 :1s-weil the har has the rear terminalv portionthereof curving' upwardly es at 2l and which extends in close proximitytothe ineinher i3 and has its top edgesubstantially in alignnienl withthe forward edge oit said i'nernher The ior Y:rrd end of the hairs 19and fire thish With the forward side Vedges, ofthe ifi-angers i8 and oneor' the hangers l) is secured to the outer fece oit the hor 1'9", es at22 and the other henger i8 is se'- cnred tothe outer fece o2 theoor 2Oes at. rhe her 19', as well es `lhe' hal includes a vertically attendingleg and a horizontally entendingleg 25 whic i projects in- Wardly lron'ithe bottoni et he legI 2. The legs A5 oi" the hars i9 and are securedto# gether in proximity to their forward ends by fr trui ersely czendingoonihined coupling and brace ineniler 2o, which is secured agonist theloner threes et the said legs Q5. he here if) und 2() provide e runway Cfor the seperated eens or smaller diameter.

The body portion is supported at an inclination by tivo pair otvertically disposed supporting standards. The standards o'il one pairare indi-.cated at 27', endV the standards of the other pair et 29, 30.The standards of eoeh pair are arranged in spaced relation and opposeeach other. Vihe standards of the seid pairs erect the saine height.Erich standard of erich, pair is jtern'ied ot an angle iron consistingof o pair ot legs 3l and 32 disposed at right ongles with, respect oeach zr. The leg 3l ene d ti'finsversel,7 with 4ec to the ,oe-dv ot thenis-chine and the entend longitudinally with respect to th hoc y of themachine. The 5l of ech pair of standards oppose each other ond the legset one pair ot derds oppose the legs 32 ot' the other pair of'stendards. The standards 2? and ere the ton Ward standards and the.ndards and 30 are Vthe rear standards. The sandards of each pair ereognositely disoosed with respect t erich other, that is to sev the les'32 otonoY stan-derd otre Deir pro lj! andthe legof the iey pairprojeotvforwardly. Enter Y through the legst??j of the stended 8erehold-zistdevices @o which :nso project through the openings 1.6 inthe har 2 and provides ineens for securing seid har 2 to the standardThe openings 16 in thebar l are provided for the passa-ge of hold-testdevices which The hold-'fest devi which extend through the leg orstandard 2S are indicated at 235 :ind the ho fest devices Whichextendthrough the oi' the standard 29 are indicziterj at Hold-test devices 3'?entend through 32 ot the standard 2"? and through e t 2O for connectingthe letter to the sind ard 2'?. Hold-rest devices' ext-end throughthe'legl 32 of the standard and through vhe er 19 for the purpose ofconnecting the latto said stende-rd 2Q. The legs et the standard 3"! hessecured thereto e pair of pivot rods 39, d0, the toi-:nier is arrangednear the opper end oi the leg' 3i et the stenderd and the latter neerthe lower end ot' said leg. rhe pivot rods and d0 nre also connected tothe legs 3l of the standard The le-ql 3l of the senderd 29 hrs connectedthereto a pair of pivot rods il? 42, the torin- 9 er arranged' ner-r thetop oit the leg,` 32 end the latter neer the iov-.xr end Suid pivot rodsand @are connected to the legl 32 oi the standard 3G. Washers eremounted on eeehV pivot rod (View T rt prolrin'iity to e ends theieoiWashers are indicates et ll, Mounted on the rivet rods respeetireljy-:folies :3, swliie ly disposed with respect to the toriner hrs its grins46,

Wardlv and outwardly "fit1 standards 2i' end 2S. ie void arnis d8 andet@ project inwardly and out tween the errns or the yoke and the leds ofthe standard. l

Positioned against the inner side of the bese or the yoke e3 is eshiittine erin #L9 positioned against the inner i or: the volte is' avshi arlns i9 and 50 :ire err" lotion and lthe leo-dj; portion. 'i of theseine length end of o, len ject reariverdlv and forward to the pairs ofsupporting sto arni 49 is constructed in the i the erin 50 and but oneot which rv lf. described, as the description of one will applyk to theother, and each of seid arms comprises a forward portion having arounded forward edg-el, and a tapered rear portion 52, which extendsrearwardly with respect to the standards 26 and 60. Each arm is formedwith a pair ot vertically disposed spaced slots 53 and through whichentend hold-tast devices 5e for connecting the arm to its respectiveyoke. Each hold-tast device consists ot a headed bolt provided with awinged nut.

The arm i6 ot the yoke e3 terminates at its outer end in a depending armhaving an inwardly curved lower terminal. portion 57. The arm i8 ot theyoke 1l-l at :its outer r end terminates in a depending arm 56 providedwith an inwardly curved lower terminal portieri 5?. llllounted on thepivot rod /lO a pair spaced vertically extending bars 56, 59 provided attheir upper ends respece tively with inwardly extending iianges 60, 6l.The bar 56 is ot greater length than the bar 59 and depends below thelower end ot the latter. Positioned on the flanges 60, 6l is arectangular closure plate 62 tor one ot the passages l2 or the passagel2 formed intermediate the bar 2. The plate is formed with spacedtransversely extending slots and projectingthrough the lianges 60, 61and slots 63 are hold-tast devices 6% for connect ing the plate 62 tothe upper ends of the bars 56 and 59. llach et said hold-tast devicesconsists of a headed bolt provided with a winged nut and with the headot the bolt countersunk in a slot 63. The bar 58- and its flange isformed with vertical slot 65 through which extends a pivot 66 carrier bythe curved lower terminal portion of the arm 55 and which sets up aconnection between the bar i9 and the yoke A3 tor a purpose to bepresently referred to. Mounted on the pivot rod l2 is a pair otvertically disposed bars 67., 66 provided respectively at their upperends with inwardly extending flanges 69, 70. rllhe arm 6'? is ot greaterlength than the arm 66 and depends below the lower end of the latter.`llllounted on the flanges 69, 70 is a rectangular closure plate Tlprovided with a pair ot spaced transversely extending slots 7 2 throughwhich extends hold-tast devices i3 for connecting the plates 7l to theilanges 69 and 70. Each hold-tast device consists oi a headed bolt and awinged nutand with the head oit the bolt countersunl: in a'slot 7 2. Thearm 67 in proximity to its liange 69 is forme-d with a vertical slot-'i'll through which entends a pivot i413 carried by the lower terminalportion 57 of the arm 56 and by such arrangement a con nection is hadbetween the bar 6l' and the yolte le tor a purpose to hepresentlyreterred to. rlhe bar 56 is connected to the bar 68 by a coiledspring 76 which normally acts to maintain the closure plates 62 and 7lin the full line position shown in Figure 5 whereby the passages 12arenormally open` The plates 62 and 7l are swung to closure positionwith respect to the passages l2 through the openings or passages ll andthe manner in which said plates are swung to closure position will bepresently referred to.

The controlling means whicl prevents the cans of larger diameter fromfalling into the runway tor the cans otsmaller diameter consists of twoopposite-ly extending spring controlled elements. @ne of said elementsis vments against the action or" their controlling springs and therocking movement ot said elements will loe towards each other so thatthe plates 62 and 7i will close the passages l2 and act as a support forcans of larger diameter and form bridges so that the cans of largerdiameter will pass -from the runway A onto the runway B and further beprevented i'rom dropping onto the runway C. The normal position of thecontrolling means is as shown in Figure of the drawings, that is say infull lines whereby the closure plates 62 and 7l will be positionedoutwardly with respect to the passages l2 or rather clear ot saidpassages 12 so that as a can of smaller diameter rolls ofi' the runway Ait will pass through the passages l2 into `the runway B. The cans otsmaller diameter do not impact against the arms 49 and 50. The cans etlarger diameter impact against the arms i9 and 50 lbefore they reach theinner end ot the runway A so that the controlling means will be actuatedand shifted to the dotted lino position shown in Figure 5, whereby theplates 62 and -7lwvill close-the passages 12, and as the cans ot largerdiameter leave the runway A they will pass over the closure plates andonto the runway B.

Secured to the rearporti-ons of the lower faces ofthe legs 8, ot therunway B, as well as projecting rearwardly of said legs 8, is a.cushioning element 77, formed from a rectangular pad oit' resilientmaterial. rlhe element 77 prevents the can from impacting against therear end edges ot the legs 8 as it drops vthrough the opening, andthereby prevents the dent-ing of the cans.

The outer ends of the runways B and C Utl lli)

may be provided with conductors for thev separated cans and one oi saidconductors is indicated at 76 and is positioned with respect to therunway B. The conductors torni no part 'of the invention.

The machine provides a simple and expeditious means for' separating andassortir-1g cans of one diameter with respect to theV other, or in otherwords for separating cans of larger diameter from cans or smallerdiameter, and therefore it is thought that a machine for such purpose,in accordance with this invention, owing to its simplicity inconstruction provides a cheap and meritorious device for the functionreferred to, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention isas illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes inthe details of construction can be had which will tall within the scopeoi the invention as claimed.

lVhat I claim is l. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising aprimary runway for conduct- Y ing cans of different diameters to besepa` rated, an upper runway for conducting off the separated cans oflarger diameter, a lower runway for conducting ofi the separated cans oismaller diameter, said upper runway having its inner end spaced vfromthe inner end o1n the primary runway to provide an opening Jfor thepassage of the cans of smaller diameter onto. the lower runway as suchcans pass oft the primary runway, and means operated by the cans oflarger diameter travelling on the primary runway for bridging saidopening to prevent such cans rom passing into the lower runway and forconducting such cans to` the upper runway for discharge.

2. A machine Jfor the purpose set forth con prising a primary runway forconducting cans ot' different diameters to be separated, an upper'runway for conducting off the separated cans of larger diameter, a lowerrunway for conducting olf the separated cans ci smaller diameter, saidupper runway having its inner ends spaced from l.A inner end of theprimary runway to provide an opening tor the passage of the cans smallerdiameter onto the lower runway such cans pass oil the primary runway,means operated by the cans of larger diameter travelling on the primaryrunway for bridging said opening yto prevent such cans from passing intothe lower runway and for conducting such cans to the upper runway lordischarge, and said means including a controlling spring for normallymaintaining it clear of said opening.

3. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a primary runway forconducting cans of diderent diameters to be separated, an upper runwayconducting the separated cans et larger diameter, a lcwer runway ierconducting o the separated cans ci smaller diameter, said upper runwayhaving-its inner end spaced from the inner end ot'l the primary runwaytopro vide an opening or'the passage of the cans of smaller diameter onto"the lower runway as such cans pass oli' the primary runway, meansoperated by the cans ot larger diameter travelling on the primary runwayfor bridging said opening to prevent such cans from passing into thelower runway .and for conducting such cans to the upper Arunway havingits inner end spaced from the inner ends of the primary runway toprovide an opening for the passage of the cans of smaller diameter ontothe lower runway as such cans pass offv the primary runway, meansoperated by the cans of larger diameter travelling on the primary runwayfor bridging said opening to prevent such cans from passing into thelower runway and Yfor conducting such cans to the upper runway fordischarge, said means including a pair of pivotally supported shiftingarms arranged in the path of and operated by the cans of largerdiameter, shiftable closure plates for bridging said opening, acontrolling spring for normally maintaining said plates in non-bridgingposition, and said arms extending over said primary runway and havingtapered rear ends engaged by the cans ci larger diameter.

5. A machine `for the purpose set forth comprising a primary runway forconducting cans ci different diameter to be separated, an upper runwayfor conducting off the separated cansl of larger diameter, a lowerrunway for conducting on? the separated cans of smaller diameter, saidupper runway having its inner end spaced from the inner end of theprimary runway to provide an opening for the passage of the cans ofsmaller diameter onto the lower runway as such cans pass oil the primaryrunway, means operated by the cans of larger diameter travelling on theprima-,ry runway for bridging said opening to prevent such cans frompassing into the lower runway and for conducting such cans to the upperrunway tor discharge, and said lower runway having an upstanding curvedcan receiving end extended to a point in close proximity to saidopening.V

6. A machine for the purpose set torth comprising a primary runway forconducting cans of different diameter to be separated, an upper runwayfor conducting oli` Y the separated cans of larger diameter, a lowerrunway for conducting off the separated cans ot' smaller diameter, saidupper runway having its inner end spaced from the inner end of theprimary runway to provide anopening for the passage of the cans ofsmaller diameter onto the lower runway as such cans pass o the primaryrunway,

means o erated lo 1 the cans oi' laroer diam-v eter travelling on theprimary runway for bridging said opening to prevent such cans frompassing into the lower runway and for conducting such cans to the upperrunway for discharge, said means including a controlling spring fornormally maintaining it clear of said opening, and said lower runwayhaving an upstanding curved can receiving end extended to a point inclose proximity to said opening.

7. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising a runway forconductingV oli separated cans of larger diameter, a runway forconducting off separated cans of smaller diameter, and means at theinner ends of said runways and operated hy the cans of larger diameterto prevent these latter from passing into the runway for conducting olithe cans of smaller diameter and for direct* ing the cans oi largerdiameter ontotheir respective runway.

8. A niachine for the purpose set forth comprising a runway forconducting ott' separated cans of larger diameter', a runway forconducting off separated cans of smaller diameter, means at the innerends of said runways and operated by the cans of larger diameter toprevent these latter from passing into the runway for conducting 0E thecans of smaller diameter and tor directing the cans of larger diameteronto their respective runway, and said means including a controllingelement for maintaining it in non-directing position until operated bythe cans of larger diameter.

In testimony whereof, I afHX my signature hereto.

FRANK HUBER.

